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Sin and Redemption

Outdoors
Megan Phelps-Roper and her sister Grace have left the horrifying cult of the Westboro "Church."  Megan says, “I definitely regret hurting people,” she says. “That was never our intention. We thought we were doing good. We thought it was the only way to do good."

https://medium.com/reporters-notebook/d63ecca43e35

I applaud their courage, and that they overcame a lifetime of brainwashing. Now they're enduring shunning from their family and live in hiding from the "Church" for the moment until they can figure out what to do.

However, I'm afraid absolution doesn't come so easily.  Over a lifetime, Grace especially as a speaker for the "Church" did enormous amounts of pain and harm to countless people.  It isn't enough to say, "Oops.  I was wrong.  I'm sorry."  She needs to make reparations, find a way to make up for everything she's done.  Maybe she'll serve as an example for others within that filthy organization, and it'll finally crumble from within.

Comments

( 2 comments — Leave a comment )
presterjon
Feb. 13th, 2013 11:14 pm (UTC)
I think you're wrong this time. She was raised in the church. Phelps is her grandfather. This was the seemingly inescapable framework of her life.

Then she decided to leave. Had she as an adult joined the church, then I might excuse your pov. But she is essentially an abused child who became an abuser.

Sorry my friend, there is redemption for everyone. Otherwise we risk being like the Westboronians.
spiziks
Feb. 16th, 2013 03:31 pm (UTC)
I agree that there can be redemption for her. But I don't agree that it can come free. She has to work for it. She was an adult in the WB "church" for almost ten years, and I feel she has to earn it at this point. (Not that it's really up to either of us to decide.)

I've heard that she has indeed done volunteer work for some of the communities she used to hurt, so she seems to be on her way.
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